Glavin, Terry. The most important rule is DO NOT RUN. They avoid other members of the species except during courtship and that is why these sounds have to be so strong and distinctive. The mountain lion goes by many names, including cougar, catamount, panther, red tiger, deer tiger, and puma. When a female mountain lion screams, it signals nearby males that it's time to mate and make some babies. That’s why most of the time, the wise thing to do when you spot a mountain lion nearby is to back away slowly and change your appearance so that the mountain lion won’t think of you as its … Our Nite Guard Solar predator deterrent lights have been proven to keep away mountain lion, bobcat, and cougar. To track a mountain lion, follow the traditional tracking method. Pinpointing the precise tonal quality of a cougar's scream is a faulty science since wildlife researchers and laymen alike rarely hear the piercing call. In the west, it has been discovered that the kittens are usually born during June or July. In the wild, a mountain lion can live up to 10 years. Outside of zoos, you won't find any big cat species, such as lions, … (Aug. 19, 2008)http://books.google.com/books?id=zvaBUahN4RQC, "California Cougars." We've had reports here of lion(s) close by and Ive been hoping to hear one, no luck other than the zoo occasionally, once out west. The mountain lion used to live throughout the United States but was almost hunted into extinction by 1900. "Cougar Attack!" Due to its wide range, it has many names including catamount, mountain lion, painter, panther and puma. Weird & Wacky, Copyright © 2021 HowStuffWorks, a division of InfoSpace Holdings, LLC, a System1 Company. Updated April 26, 2007. The species has a vast home base that encompasses many parts of the Americas, from southerly South American locales all the way up to Canada. 3. The Florida Panther version is endangered. If you see a mountain lion: Stay calm. If you live in western North America or South America, and you’ve been anywhere outside the city, you probably have. Then again, if you listen to the momentary wail of a house cat after its tail has been stepped on, you may hit the auditory nail on the head. They are also called Mountain Lions and Cougar. Since mountain lions are pumas and not panthers, they don't roar, but rather meow and purr, and when they scream it sounds like a woman being murdered rather than a roar Humans have not domesticated mountain lions in any way. No, mountain lions do not make good pets. Baby mountain lions are spotted with blue eyes and dark rings on their tails. 2004. Mountain Lion Care. How should a human tell the difference between a mountain lion’s scream that sounds like a human woman, and a fox’s similar scream? PO Box 1896 | Sacramento, California | 95812 916-442-2666 | info@mountainlion.org How to Avoid a Mountain Lion. Only panthers are able to roar. And panther is a general term for cats that have solid-colored coats, so it was used for pumas as well as black ja… A lion in your dream may also represent your motherly instincts. 2003. October 2005. They are also called Mountain Lions and Cougar. Even though we hear it a lot in movies and on TV, mountain lions don’t make that "wild cat scream… Prev NEXT . Early Spanish explorers of North and South America called it leon (lion) and gato monte (cat of the mountain), from which we get the name \"mountain lion.\" Puma is the name the Incas gave this cat in their language. Kevin Schafer/Getty Images. How should a human tell the difference between a mountain lion’s scream that sounds like a human woman, and a fox’s similar scream? September 2006. Typical prey behavior is to run.